Undergarment



(No M oooo A. G. VELASKO.

UNDERGARMENT.

No. 570,971. Patented Nov. 10, 1896.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH 'G. VELASKO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UNDERGARMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,9? 1, dated November 10, 1896. Application filed December 17,1895. Serial No. 572,383. (No model.)

of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improve- .ment in Womens Undershirts and Suits, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to womens undershirts and suits; and it consists of certain improvements which are fully described hereinafter and are shown in the accompanying drawings.

In knitted undergarments effort has been made to utilize the elasticity of the knitted fabric to produce a good and comfortable fit. As the greatest elasticity in a ribbed fabric is transversely to line of the ribs, it has been usual to make shirts and suits with the ribs running longitudinally or vertically, so that the transverse elasticity will cause the garment to hug the figure. Suits so constructed do not, however, possess sufficient vertical elasticity. This is particularly objectionable in so-callec union or combination suits, in which the shirt and drawers are in one piece, as the non-elasticity in the vertical direction causes the suit to draw or pull from the shoulders upon the crotch.

It is one of the objects of my invention to remove this defect by providing the shirt or suit with shoulder portions having their ribs running transversely with reference to the body of the shirt, which renders the shirt elastic in a vertical direction at the shoulders and relieves the strain at the crotch.

It is also the object of my invention to improve the fit of the shirt or suit and to render it more comfortable to the wearer by avoiding the formation of seams at the shoulders and by making the shoulder portions more or less sloping. The sleeves are made in one piece with the shoulder portions, having longitudinal ribs, and are secured to the back of the shirt preferably on diagonal lines, with the shoulder portions extending over the shoulders and terminating in flaps adapted to be folded over upon the front of theshirt and fastened thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a union suit embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the upper portion of the body. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the combined arm and shoulusually formed of Jersey knitted cloth, with the ribs running longitudinally. The back portion of the body A extends up to the full height, or substantially so, at the middle, and

is cut away diagonally on the sides, as at B B, forming the wedge-shaped back C. The front portion extends up to less extent than the back, constituting a flap D. Slits or cuts E are formed in the sides of the top into which the usual gussets or under arm-pieces F are inserted.

The sleeves G, which may be long or short, as desired, are extended at their inner ends to form shoulder-pieces II, which are cut diagonally at the rear, as at I, on a line complementary to the diagonal line B of the back, and at the front are provided with flaps J, adapted to fold over the front of the shirt. The sleeves G are provided with slits K to receive the gussets F. These parts are secured together in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The diagonal edges I of the backs of the shoulder extensions H are sewed to the corresponding diagonal edges B of the back of the body. The gussets F are sewed to the edges of the slits E and K in the body and sleeve in the usual manner, and the flaps J are folded over upon the front flap D, to which they may be buttoned by means of buttons L on the flap D and buttonholes M on the flaps J.

If desired, the flaps J may be provided with facing-pieces for the buttonholes, or other means of fastening the flaps may be employed. I

The neck of the shirt or suit may be provided with a drawing string 0, extending throughthe upper edge of the flap O and the outer edges of the flaps J J, as shown in Fig. 1.

The ribs of the sleeves G G run longitudinally, and the ribs of the portions H,which extend over the neck and shoulders and are longitudinal with reference to the sleeves, extend transversely across the shoulders and consequently have their greatest elasticity in a vertical direction. The advantage resulting from this feature is particularly great in a union or combination suit, as it greatly increases the longitudinal elasticity of the suit and obviates the very objectionable upward drawing of the suit at the crotch, which exists to a greater or less extent in suits constructed by present methods where the shoulder portions do not possess material elasticity in a vertical direction. Another advantage of this construction, which exists equally in combination suits and shirts, is that the usual seams formed at the shoulders where the sleeves are attached are omitted and a much better lit is obtained and the shirt or suit is more comfortable to Wear. I am also enabled by this construction to produce sloping shoulders, which conform more accurately to the figure and fit more perfectly.

My preferred method of forming the shoulder-pieces H upon the sleeves is by making the diagonal cut I on the tubular end of the sleeve-piece G. The rear portion of the tubular end forms the diagonal back of the shoul-v der-piece, and the front portion when folded out constitutes the flap J. I may, however,

fore referred to.

der-pieces may be formed of a single piece continuous through the back, slit diagonally on each side, as at I, to form the flaps J J, in which case the back portion 0 of the body will be cut lower.

The details of construction shown may be varied without departing from the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A knitted undershirt or suit, composed of a knitted body portion, having the front flap D and the back cut away to form a backpiece, and thesleeves, having their ends extended to form shoulder-pieces I-I, having the edges at the back secured to the back-piece and the diagonal front flaps J adapted to be folded over upon the front flap D.

2. A knitted undershirt or suit composed of a knitted body portion having the front flap D and the back cut away diagonally at.

B, B, to form a back-piece O, and the sleeves having their ends extended to form shoulderpieces H having diagonal edges at the back secured to the diagonal edges B, B, of the piece 0, and the front flaps J, J, adapted to be folded over upon the front flap D.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

ADOLPI-I G. VELASKO.

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, R. M. KELLY. 

